Better late than never for this spring dish, I say.
Sure it may be June and sure, strawberries may be the highlight of the market’s these days at least here in Wisconsin, but let’s not all forget that some of those early spring vegetables like asparagus and radishes are still worth writing about.
I’ve been playing around with this recipe for a few weeks and finally feel like it’s been perfected. Farro has become my new go to grain for big bowl dinner and lunches, and I’ve finally gotten Theo on board too. He loves how chewy it is and I love that he’s getting good fiber and grains. We just came off a month long period where all he would eat was orzo and broccoli and I know, I know, I should not be complaining about a kid demanding broccoli but I’m just really sick of making the same thing over and over again. Please excuse me.
I like to cook the farro in broth and then use some of the left over broth to give the dish a bit of a creamy sauce by mixing it in with the grains and vegetables and Parmesan at the end. The dollop of ricotta at the end adds to that richness as well.
There is also a lot of versatility here. I like this as a main dish—perfect for a light dinner or a substantial lunch—but you can treat it as a side dish to chicken or pork. Basically, it’s a way to enjoy the best of spring in a healthy and flavorful way, even if you are now hiding inside with the air conditioner on pretending it’s a perfect 70 degree day out there.
- 4½ cups vegetable broth
- 1½ cup farro, dry
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 scallions, sliced thin
- 8 ounces asparagus, woody ends removed and sliced into ½ inch rounds
- ¾ cup fresh peas
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 5 mint leaves, chopped
- ¼ cup ricotta cheese
- 2 radishes, thinly sliced
- In a medium sized saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Add farro and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until farro is tender. Drain but reserve cooking liquid.
- Meanwhile, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat in large skillet. Add scallions and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in asparagus, peas, and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, until vegetables soften.
- Add in vinegar and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in drained farro and cook for about 3 minutes, then toss in Parmesan cheese. Add ½ cup reserved cooking liquid from the farro, and stir until a nice, creamy sauce forms. Add additional liquid if needed. Stir in mint and adjust salt to taste.
- Divide farro among 4 bowls. Add a tablespoon of ricotta to each one, a few slices of radish, and some freshly ground black pepper.
Thanks for the dinner inspiration. I made this the other night substituting spinach for asparagus. It was delicious. Will definitely make this again.
writes Alice MOooh – I love the idea of doing it with spinach – I bet it complemented the farro nicely. Thanks for sharing!
writes Vicky